Recognizing that the High Holy Day of Rosh Hashana falls on the same day that local special district commissioners are required to hold their public budget hearings, Senator Jack M. Martins (R-C-I, Mineola) introduced legislation (S.5609) in the State Senate that will change the date of the 2013 hearings and resolve this conflict.

By law, a special district’s annual public budget hearing must be held the first Thursday after the first Tuesday in September each year. It just so happens that this year, that date is September 5th, the same day as Rosh Hashana. The legislation sponsored by Senator Martins will allow these hearings to be held one week later on September 12th.

“Special districts, such as library districts, or water and sewer districts, for example, must, by law, give the public the opportunity to attend their budget hearings,” Senator Martins explained. “This year, however, the statewide date of those hearings set by Town Law conflicts with the High Holy Day of Rosh Hashana. Therefore, those who plan to observe the holiday would not be able to attend the hearings. This bill simply sets the hearing date one week later and resolves this conflict.”

The bill is currently being moved through the Senate committee process and is expected to be voted on by the full Senate within a week.